An important concept we kept in mind while making this 3D scholarly edition of E.T. is multimodality. Multimodality means that text combines different means of communication, conveying genres, and structuring them (van Leeuwen, 2005). The structure of multimodal texts creates an environment that facilitates certain reading processes, even if the text itself is not linear (van Leeuwen, 2005). Instruction that presents words and pictures together to promote learning helps people build mental representations that support later tasks (Mayer, 2020). The multimedia principle states that people learn better from words and pictures than from words alone (Mayer, 2020). This is because the human mind has two information processing systems, one for verbal material and one for visual material (Mayer, 2020). Multimedia presentations utilise the full capacity of the human information processing system by appealing to both verbal and visual channels. Different media types can be complementary and together enable richer and more effective communication (van Leeuwen, 2005).
In this edition of E.T., we searched for creative possibilities in Voyager to give the audience information about E.T. For example, in the audio introduction we used the voice of E.T. from the film to make him introduce himself. This was tested in class, and everyone was laughing.
Next to that, we use pictures of the film in the articles to give people a visualisation of what we write about. This way we also try to give the audience a sense of aura from the film. Immersion is therefore also an important concept for this edition. Immersion is a crucial design element that determines interactivity and can be influenced and experienced through different design choices (Koenitz, 2023). Another way we made the experience immersive is by adding annotations to the 3D model. The annotations are a part of the tour, but they can also be explored by the audience themselves. By adding these features to the 3D model E.T. came alive and the edition feels more like an experience.